


Bright Stars and Fate

by huihao_ai



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Dorks in Love, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, ish, it's not full-on liek that, uwu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:28:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27326578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huihao_ai/pseuds/huihao_ai
Summary: Minghao gets a tattoo, and somehow things can only get better.
Relationships: Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	Bright Stars and Fate

**Author's Note:**

> That was a lame summary. I made this on a whim because I remembered that Minghao had a (temp?) tattoo on his back and I was like. junhao. So here we are.
> 
> Please note that this is fictional, and that I love SEVENTEEN and this is a self-indulgent fic. Mostly because I also have a tattoo.
> 
> Anyway. PLEASE Vote for SEVENTEEN on MAMA!

"All done. You can remove the plastic wrap tonight, and make sure to put moisturize your tattoo at least once a day. It should heal in about a week. Call me if there's any abnormal swelling," the hulking yet friendly-looking tattoo artist told Minghao.

Today is his twenty-first birthday and he decided to celebrate it by getting a tattoo, one he'd dreamt of having since he was a teenager. "All stars, though bright, eventually die" was written on his arm in script. It was a personal motto of sorts, something to remind him that everything is impermanent, even the stars. But even then, they're beautiful in their existence. He nodded in thanks and, having paid already, went out of the tattoo parlor.

He sent a picture that the tattoo artist took of his freshly-inked arm to his parents and his best friend before setting off to do some grocery shopping.

It was semestral break, something he was grateful for after staying up until past 3 AM all of last week finishing up his term papers and studying for his exams. Thankfully, they're all behind him now and he gets to enjoy two weeks of freedom before going back to the hell that was university.

He initially wanted to go back home to China and spend his break there, but his parents went to his grandparents' home in the country to care for his ailing grandfather and told him to roam around Korea for a while, get to know the place because "you've been there 2 years now and you haven't gone beyond your campus, son. Maybe you can meet a nice person there, too." Minghao just rolled his eyes while remembering his mother's sweet voice; they had good intentions and were supportive of his queerness, but he was a homebody and would very much like to stay in and keep to his small circle of friends, thank you very much. Besides, no one would be interested in a quiet boy who still struggles with his Korean in Korea, and who'd rather spend the day watching shitty Netflix films or painting rather than going out for drinking like most of his peers. He doesn't even like talking to strangers. And there are lots of homophobic people around.

So no, Minghao thinks, I'd prefer to have this grocery shopping done, order some pizza, text my friends once in a while so they know I'm alive, and not see the outside world of his dorm for the next two weeks.

Minghao walked the two blocks from the tattoo parlor to the local grocery mart, glad there were less people out today since it was one of the hotter days of the month. As he entered the heavy glass doors, a tall guy whizzed past him, running fast and shouting out a "sorry!" at him. He shook his head. There wasn't even anyone chasing after said guy. Maybe he was just in a hurry.

He looked down at his arm when he felt a small stab of pain. The running guy might have accidentally jostled it when he hurried through the door Minghao came in from. It was gone after a while, and so Minghao grabbed a cart and went to his mental grocery list as fast as he can. The sooner he gets home, the better.

He was in the cereal aisle, debating on whether to have some Cookie Crispies or Lucky Stars when he felt a presence beside him. It wouldn't have bothered Minghao so much if the guy wasn't too close. Minghao moved nonchalantly aside, thinking maybe the guy wanted to take something from the aisle he was in front of. Said guy didn't budge. Instead, he muttered something.

"Sorry?" Minghao asked as he didn't quite catch what the other said.

The guy looked at him, and Minghao recognized the clothes he wore as that of the guy who rushed past him.

"Nah, I was just thinking aloud. I'm Junhui, and sorry for the whole door thing, I was in a hurry coz I thought the store's closing in a few minutes. Turns out my roommate woke me up from my well-deserved nap to scream at me to get the groceries done before the store closes in like 15 minutes and we're really cranky if we don't have coffee and milk in our system every morning so I-- sorry! I was rambling. You wouldn't wanna hear all that from a stranger. Sorry again!" By this time, the guy - Junhui - had reddened ears and wide eyes, moving aside to give Minghao space.

Minghao had a smile on his face as he shook his head. "It's alright, don't worry. I'm Minghao, and I assume we go to the same university, Seoul U?"

Junhui nodded. "Cool! Although I haven't seen you before. So that means you're not a senior as well."

"I'm a junior. Been here for the last two years or so," Minghao answered.

"Ohh.. I see. That must be tough, huh. All the term papers and the internship preparations and letters, eugh. You look like you deal with it better than I did, I was half-dead by term break," Junhui said with a smile. He had this easygoing aura about him, Minghao thinks he's a good and comfortable person to be around. Even if he does tend to speak a lot.

"Ah, but you managed to get past it already," he said. Then he looked down at the two cereal boxes in his hand, still trying to decide. He hasn't had Lucky Stars in a while but Cookie Crispies tasted better with milk.

"Can't decide?" Junhui said from beside him. "Know what I mumbled back there earlier?" Minghao looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"All stars, though bright, eventually die. It's this old quote I made when I was in high school. We were learning about the life cycle of stars or some bullshit and our teacher keeps talking about supernovas and stuff and I wasn't really paying attention until he called me out in class to ask what they are and in my panic I blurted that out. But like, he didn't even send me to detention, he said that actually made sense, because like everything is not permanent, here on earth and outside of it. But even if that's the case, those stars shine bright enough to light the world while they're here, so there's some kind of poetic justice there or something. I even made it my yearbook quote just because I can and now whenever I see something shaped like a star that's the first thing that comes to mind." Junhui finished his story with a smile, looking at the boxes in Minghao's hand, unaware that the guy in front of him was looking at him, speechless.

When Minghao didn't say anything after that, Junhui looked at him.

"Hello? Earth to Minghao? Is something wrong?" He waved his hands in front of the other boy's face.

Minghao looked at him with wide eyes, and Junhui couldn't make out whether that expression was good or not.

"Okay, um.. Sorry for the door thing again and for what I said and for disturbing you, I guess.. I'm gonna-"

"What the fuck," Minghao said quietly.

"Sorry?" Junhui looks worried, and a little bit scared.

Minghao reached for his arm, one that Junhui was surprised to see was wrapped in some sort of plastic.

"Are you okay? Is your wound hurt? Did I hurt you when I hit you earlier by the door?!" Junhui gasped in panic. Minghao still hasn't said anything until his wrap was off, and he looked at Junhui.

"No, idiot. I think you're my soulmate."

"My- wha-?" Junhui was now confused. Sure, Minghao was attractive. Kind of an edgy gothlord with those piercing eyes and black hair covering his eyes, but isn't this too soon?

"I didn't think you'd be the type to believe in soulmates," Junhui breathed.

Minghao showed him his left arm. Junhui leaned over to look at what is on it.

A tattoo. Elegant script dancing across Minghao's front bicep. All stars eventually die.

"Oh, my God," Junhui whispered.

"Yeah," Minghao said quietly. "I thought you were shitting me earlier. This was a personal motto I made up a few years back. I thought you happened to see my tattoo or whatever but then it was wrapped, and you were rambling about your high school story and we only just met and you're actually kind of gorgeous if a bit of a dork but," Minghao shook his head with a fond smile, "do you believe in the red string of fate?"

Junhui nodded, speechless.

"Think it led me to you. Oh, God, I am cringing, but somehow it's sort of true," Minghao winced at his words. "Sorry, that was..terrible."

"It's fine. I've always been a sucker for clichés, you know," Junhui said in a soft voice.

"Nice to meet you, then, soulmate."

Two boys left that grocery store with quickening heartbeats and red ears, a new contact in their phones, and the start of a beautiful love story, one that lasted their lives.

***

"Oh. My. Goodness. Dad, that was so cheesy. I was just asking if you wanted to finish the Lucky Stars in the fridge," Aiya told her grinning father. He always loved to tell her stories.

"Baobei, you know that your Dad is a walking cheeseball," a voice called from the staircase.

Her father rolled his eyes. "Haohao, you called me your soulmate the first time we met. If there's a cheeseball in this family, it's you, darling."

"Alright, you two are getting gross again. I'm finishing the Lucky Stars!" Aiya said and practically ran out the kitchen just as her other father went in it.

"Well, it's true," Minghao said as he walked over to Junhui, his Junhui.

Aiya went back to the kitchen to get a glass of water but stopped short when she saw her fathers dancing, eyes on each other, swaying slowly in their kitchen while the stars are twinkling brightly from the window. She took a quick picture then went back out quietly.

She'll have the damn water later.

**Author's Note:**

> The cereal names were decidedly changed (look at me tryna avoid copyright, lmao)
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed! <3


End file.
